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This content comes from Closed Captioning that was broadcast along with this program.

>>>this is
presidential election
day.
venezuela
. five weeks after the death of
hugo chavez
. the question being asked tonight is whether it will be
business as usual
for a government that had a long and hostile relationship with the u.s. nbc's mark cotter is in caracas tonight.

>> reporter: long lines at the polls formed
early in the morning
and drew again in the afternoon. as this politically divided country cast its votes. the ten-day campaigns to replace the laying
hugo chavez
as
president of venezuela
have been passionate and loud. the incoming president hand-picked by
chavez
as his successor promises to extend
chavez
' socialist programs for the poor. the 50-year-old has led in most of the polls and insists he is visited by
chavez
's spirit in the form of a bird. he frequently lashes out against the
united states
which many believe will continue if he wins.

>>it might even get stronger because nationalism is the one thing that he can rely on to make sure that he maintains his popularity.

>> reporter: his opponent is a 40-year-old governor popular with the young who scoffs at the claim that meduro is
chavez
's successor. he says he wants to reduce oil subsidies to cuba
venezuela
supplies 8% of
crude oil
imports but also buys gasoline and diesel from the
united states
. experts say u.s.
gas prices
are unlikely to be affected by whoever wins.

>>it's really been one of the forces for stability within the relationship between the two countries.

>> reporter: venezuela
's new president will face serious domestic problems, including food shortages, one of the worst murder rates in the world, inflation and declining
oil production
which many blame on 14 years of
chavez
rule. now in many ways, this country is now at a crossroads being courted by two candidates with dramatically different visions for the future of
venezuela
. we expect the election results some time later tonight.